NFL 2024: Top cut and trade candidates following Brandon Aiyuk's trade request

The San Francisco 49ers have shown no interest in trading standout receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers want to keep Brandon Aiyuk, and the All-Pro pass catcher prefers to stay in the Bay Area, but San Francisco is "not close" to any kind of extension agreement.

The 26-year-old just caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal after the 49ers picked up his fifth-year option.

Both general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted during April's NFL draft that the 49ers had discussions with other teams on Aiyuk, but nothing came to a fruition.

If Aiyuk does go on the trade market, expect receiver-needy teams like the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers to have interest. Rumors remain rife about a trade to the Washington Commanders. It's well documented that the prolific pass-catcher and quarterback Jayden Daniels are close friends. Reuniting them in the nation's capital is a mouth-watering proposition.

None of this means that the Niners will or should trade Aiyuk and jeopardize their Super Bowl chances. But if they cannot reach an extension and do add another promising receiver in trade return, Aiyuk could be on the move.

A fourth-round pick out of Florida, Dameon Pierce was once deemed the Houston Texans' prime running back. He was arguably Houston's best offensive weapon during their 3-13-1 record in 2022.

If not for an ankle injury that forced him to miss the final four games, Pierce would have ended his first season with 1,000 yards in rushing. He finished the year with 939 yards on 220 attempts and four touchdowns.

However, as he prepares for his third season, Pierce is far from the player who once led the team as its top running back. His struggles during the 2023 season led the Texans to count on Devin Singletary as the starter.

Pierce's role with the franchise appears bleak after Houston traded a seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon. A month later, they drafted Jawhar Jordan from Louisville during the 2024 NFL Draft. With little proven experience, Piece enters the season as a secondary option to help preserve Mixon's legs.

Of course, teams swap players at the running back position more than any other spot, so there remains the possibility that he may find himself elsewhere ahead of the new season, although noises from the hierarchy during OTAs suggest that he could be handed a make-or-break season to salvage his Texans' stint.

The Philadelphia Eagles made it pretty clear they needed to upgrade the secondary in the draft, and they did, selecting Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell in the first round and trading up for Iowa's Cooper DeJean in the second round.

$38 million all-pro and Philadelphia Eagle cornerback James Bradberry was a disappointment last season, and it's fair to wonder what his role will be if Mitchell and/or DeJean prove they deserve to be on the field straight away alongside Darius Slay.

The Stanford product faces an uncertain future after the Eagles overhaul their entire secondary. The Eagles could designate him as a post-June 1 cut without having to owe anything toward the salary cap. His contract would only carry a $4.305 million in dead cap, but the team could just eat the money if they don't plan to start him for the 2024 season.

As for the potential destinations for Bradberry, the Chiefs still need a star cornerback to replace L'Jarius Sneed after his trade to the Titans. However, Trent McDuffie probably can't fill the big shoes on his own, so they may leap a trade.

Bradberry could provide the Chiefs a cheaper, low-risk short-term option for a team to revive the secondary position. The Ravens were looking into Bradberry last offseason before signing his extension with the Eagles, so they could revive interest as well.

The New England Patriots have handed out new deals to countless key players across the roster, including Rhamondre Stevenson, Jahlani Tavai, and David Andrews. They also retained plenty of internal free agents this past March during the open market period. However, one key player on the defense has yet to get the new deal he's been looking for.

Matthew Judon has been one of the NFL's top pass rushers since signing with New England, and is hoping to get a new deal before the 2024 regular season. Just over a month before kickoff, it appears the two sides still have plenty of distance between them.

Judon will be 32 years old when the Patriots start their regular season, and had his 2023 campaign cut short by a torn bicep that had him sidelined for 13 games on the year. The franchise hit the reset button after a disastrous 2023 campaign, and as good as Judon is, he will only get older, increasing the risk of his decline.

Will the Patriots look to trade the aging pass rusher, or will a long-term agreement be reached that will keep the edge rusher in Foxboro?

If the two sides don't work something out soon, Judon's days in New England could be numbered. Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions could be a few plausible landing spots for Judon before the season kick-starts.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is one player who left much to be desired in 2023. While the veteran wide receiver still has two years remaining on his $33 million contract, it won't be surprising if the former Pro Bowl playmaker is given the axe this summer.

The 27-year-old pass-catcher only caught 29 of the 47 passes sent his way for 260 receiving yards and one touchdown in 11 games during 2023 season, finishing all but two contests with 33 or fewer yards, partly down to niggling injuries after undergoing knee surgery following the 2022 campaign.

Simply put, Smith-Schuster did not look like a player worth having on New England's roster in 2024, so they would be better off trimming some fat and save on dead cap.

The Patriots will also be fine in his absence, having reloaded Smith-Schuster's position group via both free agency, K.J. Osborn, and the 2024 NFL draft, rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Demario Douglas is hungry for more results after a great rookie season while Kendrick Bourne is always a reliable option in the passing game.

This offseason, the New York Jets find themselves in an unusual position: devoid of the usual drama that often surrounds the franchise.

However, one significant issue still casts a shadow—the contract situation with Haason Reddick. Acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick, a fair deal for a two-time Pro Bowl selection, Reddick remains a focal point.

Reddick is reportedly seeking a new contract that aligns with the salary of the NFL's elite edge rushers. Despite this, the Jets have yet to meet his demands, leaving his future with the team uncertain.

Reddick has been a reliable sack-getter for the previous four years, racking up more than 50 sacks. He posted 135 pressures in two seasons with the Eagles and earned a 75.2 PFF overall grade in 2023.

There's obvious pedigree there, so if the Jets think he may not fit in with their defensive scheme, there are likely to be plenty of suitors for one of the NFL's premier pass-rushers, despite a disappointing 2023 NFL season by his standards.